Method of winding filling, cam, and cop produced thereby



1957 T. M. DUNCAN 2,804,273

METHOD OF WINDING FILLING, CAM. AND COP PRODUCED THEREBY Filed Feb. 9, 195s I FIG.6

FILLING POINT CONVENTIONAL WIND! F G' 5 INVENTOR T M D UNC'AN BY AT TORNEY CO NVE NTIONAL BUILDING CAM United States Patent O This invention relates to yarn winding and more particularly to the winding of filling yarn onto a bobbin in which the yarn traversed in a reciprocating motion over a limited portion of thebobbin, the traverse motion gradually moving upwardly on the bobbin to produce a cop having a cylindrical central portion and tapered ends.

Apparatus for producing a filling wind of this general character has been used for many years and is well known to the art.

Although various changes have been made in elements of the winding apparatus the basic mecha nism that is currently used has been in'use for in excess of fifty years. So also has been the basic pattern or process of winding the yarn onto the bobbin. Essentially this consists of beginning the winding 'at'the lower end of the bobbin, winding a layer of yarn upwardly a predetermined distance, say around two inches, and then dropping back almost as far as the start. This reciprocation continues and at the same time a second motion, oftentimes referred to as picking, slowly moves the reciproeating mechanism upwardly. The result is that the lowermost windings of each stroke of reciprocatory movement have been brought close to, but not quite 'as far as, the bottom of the previous stroke. Certain variations in the extent of the individual reciprocatory movements within the total traverse have been made, especially at the upper part of the stroke, but these have been principally for the purpose of smoothing out the winding.

In recent years, in an elfort to increase production, the speed of unwinding the filling bobbins onto other bobbins to produce cheeses has been substantially in creased. Also, the diameter and the length of the cop has been increased. It has been' found, however, with cops wound in the conventional manner that higher speed winding ofl or the use of larger diameter cops frequently produces sloughing oil? or roping of the yarn being wound onto the cheese bobbin which results in costly breakbacks, excessive waste of yarn, and additional labor costs in addition to production loss. Production has therefore been limited in winding off by the limit on the speed at which the cops could be unwound without sloughing elf.

In addition, sloughing ofi has occurred during unwinding as a result of rough handling of the "cops causing displacement of the yarn, particularly in the region of the filling point at which control of yarn wound by methods heretofore known'ha's been lost.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invent on to provide a process and apparatus forproducing an improved filling wind on an improved cop which may be unwound at speeds far greater than those presently possible 'withoutlikelihood of sloughing on and which Will permit winding of cops of larger diametenthan those previously possible without sloughmg off during unwlnding, and at a wide range of yarn sizes.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description in con unction with the accompanying drawings, where1n: V

.1 i a fragmentary perspective illustrating the ice ent invention to a conventional builder mechanism;

Fig. 2, a layout of a builder cam constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 3, a diagram illustrating the relation of the yarn layers in a filling winding produced using the cam of the present invention;

Fig. 4, a layout of a conventional building cam;

Fig. 5, a diagram illustrating the relation of the groups of yarn layers produced on a builder mechanism using a conventional cam; and

Fig. 6, a side view of a yarn cop'.

Briefly stated, the present invention includes the winding of yarn onto a bobbin by a process in which the lower strands at the bobbin of certain strokes are overlapped or tied down by a subsequent stroke rather than being left in loose condition in which they are susceptible to sloughing 013?. The invention contemplates the use of a four point builder cam, although it is not thus limited, in which one point is suificiently longer than the other three to more than compensate for the height gained through picking so that on every fourth stroke the yarn is carried down lower than the immediately preceding three strokes, thus preventing its coming loose and providing better control.

The invention also includes the provision of a filling cam which has relatively sharp points and valleys so that the period of dwell at the upper and lower ends of the stroke will be reduced, thereby reducing bunching at the ends of the strokes and thus further reducing likelihood of uncontrolled windings. The cop produced by the present invention is shaped similarly to those produced heretof ore. However, it maybe unwound at speeds approximately 50% higher without likelihood of sloughing olf. Furthermore, the cops may be of larger diameter and the stroke may be substantially less than on previous ma: chines.

Referring to the drawings, the illustrated machine has a frame 10 with a fixed rail 11 on which spindles 12 are mounted for rotation by belts (not shown). Bobbins 14 are mounted on the spindles.

A ring rail 15 carries a plurality of rings 16, one for each of the spindles 14. Each of the rings 16 has a traveler '17 for guiding yarn onto the bobbin.

The ring rail is ordinarily of considerable length and has a number of lifter rods 18 connected thereto whose lower ends are attached to lever 19 which is mounted by shaft 20 in bracket 21.

One end of the lever 19 has a weight 22 which tends to keep the ring rail in raised position.

An arm 25 fixed to shaft 20 has a chain or similar connecting member 26 attached thereto which runs over a sprocket 27 and is secured to a winding drum 29. The winding drum is mounted adjacent to the end of a builder arm 31 which is pivotally mounted at 32 on a bracket- (not shown) extending from the frame.

The winding drum 29 is connected to rotate with a worm wheel 35 which is engaged with a worm 36 carried by the builder arm 31. Worm 36 runs on shaft 37 to which a ratchet or pick wheel 38 is connected. The wheel 38 has a pawl or a pick 40 engaged therewith which is pivotally mounted at 41 and is under the control of a pick rod 43 which reciprocates through bracket 44, collars 45 and 46 being adjustably located on the pick rod to control the rotation of the winding drum 29. In order to produce movement of the ring rail a builder cam 50 (which will be described in detail later) is provided which is mounted on a shaft 51 which is rotated by suitable means, not shown.

The apparatus generally described operates in a wellknown manner, namely: rotation of the builder cam 50 produces oscillation of the arm 31 which by means of the chain 26, arm 25, lever 19 and rod 18 causes the ring rail 15 to reciprocate, the length of each stroke of reciprocation depending on the radii of the high and low points of the cam 50. Superimposed upon the previously described reciprocatory motion is the intermittent upward movement of the ring rail which is produced by the picking mechanism. Briefly on each down stroke when the upper collar 45 on the pick rod reaches the limit of its downward motion the pick 40 produces limited rotation of the worm 36 which increases the efiective length of the chain 26, thereby permitting slight raising of the ring raih On the upper strokes of the ring rail the pick rod 43 moves upwardly to the extent permitted by the collar 46 at which time the pawl moves past a few teeth on the wheel 35.

The present invention includes a building cam 50 of novel configuration which may be used to produce an improved filling winding and thus an improved cop.

With particular reference to the drawings, the method of laying a filling winding in accordance with the present invention will now be compared with the method currently in use. According to the conventional method, see

D6, D8 may be of variable radii; however, by making Fig. 5, the winding begins at al, moves upwardly to the 1 1 of a conventional four lobe cam and the high points a2,

a4, a6, a8 corresponding to the low points of such conventional cams. The next low point (with the builder cam in starting position) may be designated [21 and the high point b2, the winding progressing upwardly.

In starting the operator starts the winding at point al at the lowest useable portion of the bobbin corresponding with a high point 11 on a conventional cam as illustrated in Fig. 4. It will be observed that at the bottom of the strokes, the windings, as indicated at a3, a5, a7, b1, come substantially as low, but not quite as low as the immediately preceding low point. The result is that in unwinding the bobbin the low points of the windings are exposed without being lapped by any subsequent windings; in being drawn off from the filling point at the top of the cop down the tapered slope thereof, especially at high speeds or when the cop diameter is relatively large, sloughing off of a number of the courses is likely to occur.

Referring now to the winding according to the present invention, the winding proceeding by reciprocating upwardly and downwardly with picking as heretofore, the upper and lower extremities are designated in Fig. 3 by the corresponding designations A1, A2, A3, A4, etc. It will be observed, however, that the low points A3, A5,

and A7 are substantially higher than the low point A1 and that despite the continued upward movement of the reciprocating mechanism, which is caused by picking, the point B1 drops below the lowermost ends of the preceding three strokes, thereby overlapping A3, A5, and A7. This overlapping ties down the yarn at the lowermost ends of the preceding three strokes and controls the winding off of the yarn so that faster winding oil speeds are possible without the danger of sloughing off. i

In starting the winding onto a bobbin in the event that the highest cam point is not in engagement with the follower on the builder arm it is necessary to start the winding slightly above the lowermost position on the bobbin which it is desired to wind in order that the subse-, quent lower stroke may not extend therebeyond.

Referring now to the cam for producing the novel winding, the cam has lobes with high points indicated as L1, L3, L5, and L7, intermediate of which are spaced depressions D2, D4, D6 and D8. The cam layout is subject to variations, but essentially it includes the high points L1L7 and the low points D2D8 which cause the bulk of the winding will be deposited during the downward movement of the ring rail.

The cam of the present invention, however, otherwise is designed quite differently from conventional four lobe filling cams. Lobe L1 in the illustrated embodiment is substantially longer (i. e. of greater radius) than lobes L3 and L7 which may be of equal length, lobe L5 being substantially intermediate lobes L3 and L7 and L1 in radius. The lobe L1 is sufliciently longer than lobes L3, L5 and L7 that despite the picking motion causing upward travel the yarn laid when the lobe L1 produces maximum downward motion of the ring rail will overlap the lowermost courses laid on the preceding three strokes by lobes L7, L5 and L3.

Intermediate the lobes the depression points D2, D4,

D4 the shortest and progressively increasing in radius the points D2, D8, and D6, in that order provides excellent results. In addition, the configuration of the lobes and depressions illustrated produces quick changes in the direction of motion at the bottoms and tops of the strokes thus reducing the dwell and increasing the control achieved. Intermediate the high points and low points of the cam the configuration of the cam is such as to provide maximum efficiency and control in winding.

The radii of the lobes and depressions are proportioned to produce picking or intermittent upward movement of the ring rail of an amount and timing to achieve the desired result, the inter-relation between the picking motion and the reciprocatory movement being Well known to those skilled in the art.

The'illustrated cam, which produces excellent results, has the following radii at the designated points:

Although the illustrated cam has certain dimensions as described, it will be understood that these are only illustrative of one form of the present invention and-that the principle may be embodied in other cams. proved cam, it will'be understood, is characterized by having one lobe with a radius sufficiently greater than those of the remaining lobes that in the laying of filling winding the bottom of the stroke produced thereby will cause the yarn being'laid to overlap or wind below the preceding strokes of the cam. Although the invention is illustrated in connection with a four lobe cam, it will be recognized that the principle isfadaptable to cams having varying numbers of lobes.

' Although the overlapping or tying down at the lower portion of the stroke is the principal characterizing feature of the improved cam design, the other characteristics of the cam such as the radii of therespective low points or depressions, the curvature, and the relatively sharp points and depressions providing fast changes in direction with relatively small amounts of dwell also provides important advantages.

Accordingly, it will be understood that the present invention includes an improved builder cam which produces a filling winding in which every fourth down stroke of the traveler lays yarn below the three immediately preceding strokes, the invention being applicable to cams having varying numbers of strokes, the cam also being designed to provide overlapping at the top of the strokes so that an eight pointtie down or overlap, four at the top and four at the bottom, is produced. The resulting cop resists sloughing oil including at the filling pointand permits substantially higher winding off speeds than those previously possible; a r

The product produced in accordance with the present invention, namely an'imp'roved cop, 'is obviouslyadapted for use with any subsequent process requiring withdrawof, yarn from the bobbin, Whether pnto other bobbins.

The im-- looms, warp machines, winders, spoolers or others. The improved cam is adapted for the building of bobbins filled on spinning frames, twisters and quillers, or with any process of building a bobbin in which a building cam is used, and is applicable to various materials, including cotton, wool, silk and other fibers whether of natural or synthetic origin.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawing and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In the method of laying a filling winding in which yarn is traversed in a reciprocatory motion to and fro over a portion of a bobbin and in which the field of traverse is displaced slowly from the bottom to the top of the bobbin, the improvement comprising depositing the yarn in a repetitious series of four strokes, the lowermost winding of the second stroke being substantially higher than that of the first stroke, the lowermost winding of the third stroke being substantially lower than that of the second stroke but above that of the first stroke, the lowermost winding of the fourth stroke falling intermediate those of the second and third strokes, and the lowermost portion of the fifth stroke falling below those of the second, third and fourth strokes but above that of the first stroke.

2. The method of laying a filling winding in which the yarn is laid in reciprocatory strokes over a minor portion of the bobbin and in which .the position of the strokes is gradually moved upwardly on the bobbin, comprising laying a series of strokes starting near the bottom of the bobbin and filling the bobbin by repetitiously repeating :the laying of said series of strokes from the bottom to the top of the bobbin, the lowermost portion of the first stroke in the series being laid at a predetermined lowermost position, the subsequent strokes in the series having their lowermost portions higher on the bobbin than the lowermost portion of the initial stroke of the series, and laying the lowermost portion of the initial stroke of the immediately next succeeding series below the lowermost portions of the strokes of the immediately preceding series which are laid subsequently 4 to the initial stroke of said immediately preceding series.

3. A yarn cop having a substantially cylindrical central portion and upper and lower tapered end portions in which the yarn is wound on the cop in conical layers whose length is substantially less than the length of the finished cop and in which the conical layers progress from the bottom to the top thereof in repetitious cycles having a plurality of layers per cycle, the improvement comprising the lowermost portion of one layer in each cycle being positioned below the lowermost portions of the immediately preceding winding layers insaid cycle whereby said lowermost portions of said immediately preceding winding layers are overlapped in order to resist being sloughed ofi at .the filling point of the cop.

4. In a mechanism for winding filling yarn onto a bobbin in which a ring rail guides the yarn onto the bobbin, and in which movement of the ring rail is governed by a cam having a plurality of lobes and depressions, the cam engaging a follower mechanism connected to the ring rail so that rotation of the cam causes a repetitious series of reciprocatory strokes of the ring rail, and in which the follower mechanism permits intermittent upward movement of the ring rail, the intermittent upward movement being superimposed upon the reciprocatory movement caused by the cam, the amount and timing of the intermittent upward movement being controlled by the radii of the lobes and depressions; the invention comprising the cam formed with a lobe longer than those immediately preceding and succeeding said lobe in the revolution of the cam so that said lobe produces a lower stroke than the immediately preceding and succeeding lobes, and for-med with the depression immediately succeeding the lobe to cause said follower mechanism to impart increased upward movement of increased velocity to said ring rail sufiiciently that the lowest winding of said immediately preceding and succeeding lobes is substantially higher than that of said lobe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 905,049 Berard Nov. 24, 1908 FOREIGN PATENTS 14,418 Great Britain June 30, 1896 283,386 Switzerland Oct. 1, 1952 

